Claim that Fallon tried to lose 'is ridiculous'

The suggestion that top jockey Kieren Fallon was deliberately trying to lose races was "simply ridiculous", a betting scam trial was told today.

Fallon was six times champion jockey and a man "driven to win", said his barrister, John Kelsey-Fry QC.

Fallon listened a few feet away as Mr Kelsey-Fry told a jury at the Old Bailey: "He is a man driven by the desire to win."

Fallon and five others are accused of plotting to make 27 horses lose in order to win money on bets.

But the prosecution say he ended up owing the crooked betting syndicate money because he won five of his 17 races.

More follows...

Mr Kelsey-Fry said: "The very fact that a man described as the greatest jockey of his generation ends up unable to help winning when he is trying to lose is simply ridiculous."

Fallon had, in fact, won more races - an average 29.4% - during the time of the alleged conspiracy, than the 19% he normally averaged.

Mr Kelsey-Fry said this meant Fallon's winning rate was higher "when he was trying to lose than when he was trying to win".

It alleged that the six defendants were involved in a conspiracy with others between December 2002 and September 2004 to defraud Betfair customers and other punters.

Fallon, 42, formerly of Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, but now of Tipperary, Ireland, Fergal Lynch, 29, of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, and Darren Williams, 29, of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, deny the charges.

Shaun Lynch, 37, of Belfast, former racing syndicate director Miles Rodgers, 38, of Silkstone, South Yorkshire, and Philip Sherkle, 42, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, also plead not guilty.

Rodgers also denies concealing the proceeds of crime. All the defendants are on bail.